Physician Assistant Education in Iowa - IA

Graduation from an accredited program online or at one of the physician assistant schools in Iowa is a requirement. The organization that accredits the programs offered through physician assistant schools in Iowa is the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). There are two accredited programs in Iowa. Both offer a master in science degree upon completion and last 25 months. The instructive education consists of classroom and laboratory classes. The curriculums for these programs begin with anatomy and physiology with a gross anatomy section in which students learn about the human body using cadavers. The rest of the education consists of classes in pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, diagnosis, prevention, genetics, and more. Laboratory classes teach the students the practical skills necessary to work as a physician assistant. The Clinical portion of the program is at least forty weeks in both programs where students will complete rotations in several different disciplines like family medicine, pediatrics, and emergency medicine. These rotations allow the student to be well rounded and to also give students the opportunity to see what field they would like to pursue for their career.

Through campus based and online programs, aspiring Physician Assistants in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Saint Luke's Hospital, and Genesis Medical Center East.